YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WYTV) – Cardinal Mooney senior CJ Sapp is as competitive as they come.
She’s an All State volleyball player for the Cardinals, as their season just came to an end last Saturday in the Sectional Finals. But CJ is much more than just a standout athlete, she’s now our “33 Student Athlete of the Week”.
“I just like the fact that [volleyball] is not an individual sport,” said Sapp. “I’ve always been a team player.”
CJ was born to play volleyball. She’s a four-year starter for the Cardinals, serving as “libero” or the “point guard” of the team for the past three years.
“Younger defensive specialists look up to me and look to me on where they should be and if they’re in the right spot or not,” said Sapp. “So really as a libero, I just try to touch every ball I can get to and pass every ball possible.”
CJ is a natural leader on the court, serving as a two-year captain and recently finishing with over 1,200 career digs. Plus. she’s earned two varsity letters in basketball as a point guard and in the spring, CJ suits up as a standout infielder for the Cardinals. She’s a 4-year starter and batted .325 last season.
“In softbal, I like getting dirty, I feel if you don’t get dirty, did you really play?” said Sapp. “So I feel the same way in volleyball. If you gotta get on the floor to get a ball that’s what it takes.”
CJ is just as competitive in the classroom, recently scoring a 34 on her ACT, which ranks in the 99th percentile nationwide. She currently ranks second in her class at Mooney with a 4.4 GPA and is a member of National Honor Society.
“Being a student athlete, it’s been tough with my time management and everything but it’s been doable. I’ve been driven to do well both on the court and in the classroom.”
